TENNIS: Docherty, Heinatz place third at district tourney
POSTED 4-8-2010
MARBLE FALLS — The Marble Falls High School mixed doubles team of juniors Afton Heinatz and Connor Docherty captured third place at the District 25-4A Tournament Wednesday.
They defeated Hutto, 6-3, 6-1.
IN PHOTO: Marble Falls junior Afton Heinatz warms up for a match. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
“They played well in that match and pretty much overwhelmed Hutto,” head coach Tim Bourke said. “They really showed what they have. I was really proud of them.”
The Mustangs hoped to force a playback, which means if the Lake Travis team of Smrithi Haharian and Matthew Pojman had won in the final, Marble Falls would play the loser for second place.
But that didn’t happen.
“Midway through Connor and Afton’s match, the other match concluded,” Bourke said. “They decided to finish the match.”
The coach credited his juniors for having a business-like approach.
“They stayed focus,” he said. “They didn’t miss a lot of shots. The points they lost, the opponents hit great shots. The only points the other team gets are off fabulous shots.”
The duo take a meticulous approach to their game, Bourke said,.
“Playing smart, consistent tennis will beat the flashy players,” he said.
Docherty suffered a wrist injury while playing basketball for the Marble Falls varsity team in December. At the time, doctors believed it was a season-ending wound that would sideline him until next fall.
Yet Docherty came back six weeks later to finish basketball and rejoined the tennis team as the squad’s No. 1 singles player.
Bourke said he respects the athlete for returning.
“I was very happy Connor was able to come out and play after the injury he suffered in basketball,” he said. “We thought he wouldn’t have the opportunity to play. He was able to come out and put up a tremendous fight.”
Marble Falls did have a district championship thanks to junior Kyleigh Ann Futrell and senior Devon Dockery.
The duo captured the girls doubles championship Wednesday and are preparing for the Class 4A Region IV Tournament April 19-20 at Blossom Tennis Center in San Antonio.